daily collection of mar itime press clippings 2005 –...

DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2005 – 209

PSi-Daily maritime press clippings 9/12/2005

Number 209** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS ***Tuesday 13-09-2005

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The Dutch minister of transport Karla Peijs christened last Saturday the latest new addition of the KNRM

fleet which is named GEORGE DIJKSTRA and based at the station Ter Heijde. Photo : Crew KNRM station Ter Heijde ©



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The score until today : 50.780 Euro EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS GEORGE DIJKSTRA CHRISTENED

As mentioned above in the header last Saturday the new life boat GEORGE DIJKSTRA was christened at Ter Heyde by the Dutch minister of transport Karla Peijs.



Despite the heavy rain fall prior the event, the event was a success, as can be seen at this photo impression, after the christening ceremony coxswain Adam Louwen changed officially the shipyard flag for the KNRM flag, after the ceremony the lifeboat was launched from the beach and made a tour off the Ter Heijde beach with Minister Karla Peijs onboard, who was very impressed about the capabilities of this new lifeboat.

Photo’s : Crew KNRM lifeboat station Ter Heijde ©

NEWBUILDING BATYR ENROUTE Fridaymorning September 9TH 2005 the Ukrainian tug SIRENA left the port of Galatz, Romania, with the newbuilding Damen Stantug 2208 "BATYR" in tow. This Damen Stantug 2208 has been built by Damen Shipyards Galatz for the port of Aktau in the Caspian Sea. Transport of this newbuilding tug is rather complicated due to a draft of 3.40 metres and complicated local customs-regulations. For the first leg from Galatz to Rostov over the Black Sea, the Ukrainian tug "Sirena" has been

chartered. From Rostov to Astrakhan, the new Stantug 2208 will be taken over by two local Russian tugs, one of which will tow the Stantug 2208 BATYR from Astrakhan to it's homeport Aktau at the east-side of the Caspian Sea. The total transport is coordinated by "Landfall" Transport & Towage bv of Sliedrecht, the Netherlands

Ships shift from New Orleans



By the time Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, cruise lines had already shifted ships out of ports in New Orleans and Mobile, Ala. Although the damage is still being assessed, it could be a month or more before cruise travel gets back to normal. Carnival moved its two ships that sail out of New Orleans--the ninth-largest cruise port in the country--to Galveston, Texas. The Carnival Sensation ran four- and five-day trips out of Galveston to Mexico early this month, and the second ship, the Conquest, began sailing out of Galveston last Wednesday.

The New Orleans-based Delta Queen Steamboat Co. runs three paddlewheel boats on multiday trips on rivers in the South and Midwest, including the Mississippi River. Left : The CAJUN QUEEN sailing on the Mississippi River Photo : Piet Sinke © Employees were moved to Buffalo, N.Y., and Memphis, Tenn., ahead of the hurricane,

and no cruises have been cancelled, although New Orleans has been removed from itineraries through this month. "We are planning on a minimum of 30 days," to return to New Orleans, "but it will probably be considerably longer," said Bruce Nierenberg, chief executive of Delta Queen. The situation in Mobile is less dire. The 66,000-square-foot Alabama Cruise Terminal held up to the storm, and the Carnival Holiday sailed from there within a week. Because of the hurricane, the ship was diverted to Tampa, and Carnival cancelled a late August cruise out of Mobile to Mexico and offered refunds. Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean operate seven-day winter-season cruises to the western Caribbean out of New Orleans, but in the first few days after Katrina they were taking a wait-and-see approach to itineraries. The 2,000-passenger Norwegian Sun is scheduled to begin trips on Oct. 16, and Royal Caribbean has trips to the Caymans and Mexico starting in December. Any moves by Norwegian will be relayed to travel agents, said a Norwegian Line spokeswoman. If a cruise itinerary does change, passengers will be offered a refund. Airfare, if booked through the cruise line, will be changed without fees. Those who bought air tickets to the affected ports independently might also find the airlines flexible on changes. American and Continental, for example, are not charging fees to change tickets to hurricane-affected cities through October. As of early this month, Southwest said that those who want to change a ticket from New Orleans to Houston (closest to Galveston), or Little Rock, Ark.; Nashville, Birmingham, Ala.; or Jackson, Miss., could do so with no fee through this month, and passengers with tickets to New Orleans from Sept. 13 to Jan. 9 could ask for a refund.

Donjon-Smit refloats bulker grounded by Katrina

Donjon-SMIT, LLC, an OPA-90 Alliance, has completed a salvage operation on a bulker grounded by Hurricane Katrina..



The Chios Beauty, a bulk carrier, ran hard aground at Mississippi Mile Marker 93.2 while in ballast. The vessel grounded on August 29 after breaking free from the Praline Dock as a result of hurricane force winds. The vessel was reported to be intact with a total of 21 crewmembers and one passenger aboard at the time, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. During an initial refloating effort, a local pilot boarded the casualty and attempted to pull the Chios Beauty afloat with five tugs, but was unsuccessful. Owners then

quickly contracted Donjon-SMIT to respond. Given the transportation difficulties in the New Orleans area, Donjon-SMIT mobilized a Salvage Master and a four-man salvage team to the scene by tug from Sabine Pass to determine the extent of the grounding and the necessary assets required to remove her. After conducting a survey, preparing and having its salvage plan approved by the U.S. Coast Guard, Donjon-SMIT discharged the remaining water ballast and

utilized two tugs to effect the refloating. The Chios Beauty was refloated on September 3 by a combination of controlled bottom scouring from a tug's propeller wash and pulling until the vessel broke free.

Donjon-SMIT was created December 31, 2004 by marine salvage and casualty response companies Donjon Marine Co., Inc. (Hillside, NJ) and SMIT Salvage Americas (Houston, TX), in

a new joint venture intended specifically to provide compliance and response services as required by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA-90).

Panama Canal too small for new ships 91-year waterway risks missing trade boom, unless it is enlarged

ON a hot, drizzly day in July, the Aegean Leader sailed through the Panama Canal, its 32-metre-wide hull barely clearing the waterway's locks. The vessel, which carries Japanese cars to the US East Coast, is the biggest that its owner, Nippon Yusen KK, sends through the canal linking the Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico. Nippon Yusen and Wal-Mart Stores Inc are among companies pressing Panama to enlarge the 91-year-old waterway to take bigger ships at a time when growing exports from Asia clog US Pacific ports. If the country balks at spending the US$10 billion needed to expand the canal, it will lose income as ships take alternative routes such as the Suez Canal to reach the Atlantic seaboard, says Asaf Ashar, a professor at the National Waterways Institute at the University of New Orleans. 'People will still use it, but it will have secondary status,' says Prof Ashar, 61, who estimates that, without expansion, annual toll revenue would fall 21 per cent, or US$210 million, based on the fiscal year ended Sept 30, 2004. US imports and exports account for about half the cargo transported through the 84km canal. China is the second-biggest user, and Japan is third, according to the canal authority.



Vessels that are too big for the waterway use other routes to travel between Asia and the US East Coast. Some cross the Suez Canal and Mediterranean Sea to reach the Atlantic Ocean. Alternatively, goods are unloaded at West Coast ports and transported by road or rail across the US. Enlargement of the canal, which would take nine years to complete and involve the construction of a third channel, needs to begin as soon as possible, says Robin Lanier, 52, director of the Waterfront Coalition, a Washington trade group that represents US retailers - such as Wal-Mart which is based in Bentonville, Arkansas - on shipping issues. Without expansion, increasing congestion at ports on the US West Coast will slow growth of trade and add to companies' costs, Mr Lanier says. 'US economic prosperity depends on upgrading the canal,' Mr Lanier says. 'Immediate expansion should be a high priority.' Last year, congestion at the California ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which handle about 40 per cent of containerised US imports, diverted more than 115 incoming ships to other Pacific harbours, according to the Southern California Marine Exchange. The canal authority expects to present an expansion plan to its board within a few months, administrator Alberto Aleman, 54, said on an Aug 16 conference call. If the board approves the plan, it would have to be passed by congress before going to a national referendum. Mr Aleman didn't specify how much an enlargement would cost. Global Insight Inc, a Lexington, Massachusetts-based consulting company, calculates the expense at US$10 billion. The cost of financing a third channel may be too much for the country of 3 million people to bear, says Jose Isabel Blandon, a congressman with the opposition Panamenista Party. 'What concerns us is that the country's debt would rise far beyond its capacity to pay,' says Mr Blandon, 38. At the end of July, the Central American country had US$7.2 billion of foreign debt. Standard & Poor's rates Panama government bonds BB, or two notches below investment grade. The canal authority, which hasn't disclosed how it would fund an expansion, would probably use a mix of loans and bonds, says Claudia Calich, senior portfolio manager in New York for Invesco Inc, who manages US$500 million of emerging-market bonds including Panamanian debt. At present, the authority has no debt of its own. 'If the canal expansion offers value, we would absolutely look at the deal,' Mr Calich says. The authority hasn't said how much tolls, which were increased 60 per cent in May, might rise if the expansion goes ahead. Global Insight estimates they would have to at least double to pay for the work. The US, which completed the canal in 1914, ceded the waterway to Panama in 1999. Construction cost US$375 million and about 25,000 lives, mostly to diseases such as malaria. In the year ended Sept 30, 2004, the canal had revenue of US$1.06 billion and produced royalties for the government of US$183.7 million, according to the authority's website. For retailers such as Wal-Mart, failure to expand the canal may add to costs, says William Wertz, a company spokesman. The expense of shipping goods from Asia through the canal to the Gulf of Mexico is about 20 per cent less than unloading at US West Coast ports and transporting goods by train to consumers in cities such as Houston, according to Bloomberg calculations based on prices published by shipping and railroad companies.



'The more efficient the transportation is, the lower the cost will be,' says Mr Wertz, 58. Wal-Mart has built a 204,387 sq m warehouse near Houston to handle shipments of toys, electronics and other consumer goods. 'It is ultimately a benefit to consumers.' Shipping companies, buoyed by a 10 per cent annual expansion in world trade, are increasing the size of their vessels, and most cargo carriers now under construction will be too big to use the waterway, says Hans Moller, managing director in Panama for container shipping company Maersk SeaLand. 'Fifty-eight per cent of ships on order can't transit the canal,' says Mr Moller, 40. Maersk SeaLand, a unit of Copenhagen-based AP Moeller-Maersk A/S, the world's biggest container-shipping company, already has 22 ships that are too big. Without a third channel, toll revenue from container shipping companies such as Maersk and Tokyo-based Nippon Yusen, which has 19 ships that are too wide to pass through the canal, may fall by as much as 70 per cent as they turn to alternative routes, says Ashar, of the University of New Orleans. Container lines paid more than US$300 million in tolls last year, making them the biggest user. 'The canal and the country will have to make a big decision,' says Chris Koch, president of the World Shipping Council, a Washington-based trade association whose members include Maersk and Nippon Yusen. 'If the canal chooses not to expand, trade will continue to flow, and go elsewhere.'

CASUALTY REPORT KIPEROUSA (MALTA)

A survey of the weather-damaged barge (GC 55) that has arrived from the Middle East to help off-load logs from bulk Kiperousa took place yesterday. Once the report has been made to the owners, repair work can begin. Senior salvage master for SvitzerWijsmuller, Captain Nick Sloane, said that a survey had been conducted with representatives of the owners, and the report now had to be sent to the owners in the United Arab Emirates. He said once the go-ahead had been given, the barge would be repaired. So far only one of the four holds has been cleared, and Kiperousa is beginning to break up. It is feared that bad weather may cause the ship to break up completely. Sloane said the biggest worry surrounding the breaking up of the ship was the logs getting into the current and affecting ships, yachts and swimmers. "The logs are really big so they can do a lot of damage, but that is what the salvage team and the underwriters are trying to avoid." The ship, which has already broken into three parts, does prove a safety risk for the salvage team, he said. Sloane said, weather permitting, the team hoped to have completed the operation in the next two months.

FPSO Fire Injures Four 2 crew members of the FPSO "Perintis" owned by Trenergy (Malaysia) Berhad are reported to have suffered severe burns following a flash fire in the boiler room yesterday. Two other crew members are being treated for minor burns. A spokesman for Trenergy, who have been contracted by Malaysia's state-owned oil and gas giant Petronas for exploration work, said details would be revealed later. According to Fairplay, the incident occurred near the Sotong oil platform off the coast of Terengganu in eastern Peninsular Malaysia.

NAVY NEWS THIS SECTION IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY :



ANGLO DUTCH SHIPBROKERS bvba Petrus Bogaertslaan 31 2970 SCHILDE BELGIUM Tel : + 32 3 464 26 09

Fax :+ 32 3 297 20 70 e-mail : [email protected]

The Dutch guided missile frigate Hr Ms VAN AMSTEL (F 831) seen here anchored off the Biloxi coast to render assistance to the US in view of the Huricane Katerina, the Dutch navy said that the vessel will be staying in the New Orleans area for 14 days and is working in close cooperation with the USS Bataan.

Photo : US Navy ©

Canadian warships arrive in Florida A hurricane relief convoy of three Canadian warships pulled alongside a pier at a U.S. navy base in Pensacola on Monday after a six-day journey from Halifax. The ships, HMCS Athabaskan, Toronto and Ville de Quebec, were carrying thousands of tonnes of relief supplies, everything from blankets and diapers to generators. They will be in port for at least a day before heading farther into the disaster zone left by hurricane Katrina. Lt.-Cmdr. Elissa Smith of the U.S. navy said the Canadians will likely be employed in shore projects such as cleaning up schools in Gulfport and Biloxi, Miss. Smith said a Canadian Coast Guard vessel, the icebreaker Sir William Alexander, is en route and will have the task of restoring navigational buoys swept away by Katrina.



India to buy six Scorpene submarines from France

In a major defence deal, India on Monday decided to acquire six highly advanced French Scorpene submarines worth three billion US Dollars (about Rs 13,000 crore), days after placing an order for 43 Airbus aircraft at a cost of about 2.4 billion USD (nearly Rs 9,800 crore) from an European consortium that includes France. French President Jacques Chirac disclosed India's decision to buy the Scorpene submarines while welcoming Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the Elysee Palace where the two leaders had wide ranging discussions on Indo-French defence cooperation, India's bid for permanent membership of the UN Security Council and trade and economic cooperation. The French leader said that he was happy that India had confirmed the decision to buy the Scorpene submarines in addition to the Airbus aircraft. The submarines will be manufactured at the Mazagon Docks in Mumbai for which France will be transferring full technology for the first time. India will be free to market the submarines to third countries. Responding to the warm words of welcome by the French President, Singh said that India and France had a "very rewarding" defence cooperation. "We are going to build on that," he said. He described the ties with France as "privileged and strategic". India wanted to strengthen its multifarious relationship with Paris, he said. 72-year-old Chirac, who is just out of hospital after an eye ailment, said "I am happy that the Prime Minster is confirming today the decision (by India) to buy six Scorpene submarines and 43 Airbus aircraft." The French President, who took the rare step of speaking to reporters before his meeting with Singh, said India's decisions were a "measure of friendship, trust and cooperation" between the two countries. Chirac said for France, India was "a major partner" of the world today. "And this is the reason why France has always supported India's positions, in particular her legitimate aspiration for a seat at the UN Security Council as a permanent member." In an interview to leading French daily Le Figaro, the Prime Minister dispelled apprehensions that India's "privileged relations" with the United States would "prejudice" Indo-French cooperation in the field of defence. Scorpene, billed as the world's most silent underwater killer machine, would be manufactured under technology transfer by the state-owned Mazagoan Docks in Mumbai and delivered between 2010 and 2015. As part of the deal the submarines will be armed with EADS SM39 Exocet sub-harpoon anti-ship missiles. The other powerful weapons payload on the subs include Black Shark and other advanced torpedoes. With the capabilities to strike targets underwater, surface and on land, Scorpene have a radical new design with reduced sound emissions which enables the submarines to strike at long distances without detection. The submarines have an operational cycle of 240 days a year and endurance to carry 50 days patrol to ensure maximum utilisation.



They also offer advanced capabilities for mine warfare, intelligence gathering and special operations. Their acquisition would enable India to reopen its submarine building assembly lines. The submarine building facilities at Mumbai's Mazagaon docks have been idle for the past four years after completion of the manufacture under technology transfer of four SSK class German HDW submarines. The last of the German Type 209 submarines rolled out in late 90s. Before his meeting with Chirac, the Prime Minister met the top CEOs of major French companies over breakfast. Among the participants were business leaders of companies like Dassault Aviation, Thales SA and other companies which are major suppliers of weapons systems in India. Dassault, the makers of Mirage 2000 fighters are in contention for the multi-billion dollar deal for India's contract to buy 125 Medium Combat Range Aircraft (MCRA).

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Austal USA back in production Austal USA reports that full operations at its Mobile, Alabama, facility resumed on Tuesday, September 6 and that by the following day 95 percent of its staff was back at work on a full time basis. When Hurricane Katrina made landfall on August 29, Austal USA was fortunate in that its existing, ultra modern facility had been designed to withstand the elements of a Category 4 hurricane. Damage incurred was minor. The damage incurred was minor. The storm surge came over the construction floor, which is designed to flood, by about two feet. On August 30, a small contingent of Austal employees arrived to begin the cleanup efforts after the storm. Power was not restored to the facility until Thursday and, unfortunately, several Austal employees and their families incurred damage to their homes and personal property. As a result, it was decided that the facility would remain closed until Tuesday, September 6. Full operations resumed at that time and, as of Wednesday, 95% of Austal’s staff had returned to work on a full-time basis. Meantine, when the storm struck, Austal USA was some two months away from completion of its Northern Expansion--the new construction facility where it plans to build the U.S. Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS).



The new facility sustained minor wind damage. The building contractor was operating with a reduced crew until Wednesday, September 7, when they returned with a full production force. This new facility consists of two large bays (each 134 ft x 400 ft) under a common roof for module fabrication/erection and component storage, surrounded by two mezzanine levels (each 25 ft x 400 ft) for shop space, material storage, and small assembly fabrication; two additional launch aprons in front of each bay; a combined wharf (bulkhead) length of 780 feet; and additional overhead cranes capable of lifting 80-ton modules in each bay. The other portion of the expansion is a two-story, 21,000-square-foot administration building which will be complete around Christmas. The Northern Expansion will accommodate a total workforce of up to 700 peeople, almost double Austal's current U.S .workforce. Austal’s Mobile, Alabama, operation has been recognized this year on both the State and local level as “Manufacturer of the Year”. It is currently building a 353-foot high-speed vehicle-passenger ferry for a new U.S. operation. Upon completion, this vessel will completely fill the existing shipbuilding shed in which it is being built. Austal, as a part of a team headed by General Dynamics, is looking forward to receiving word from the US Navy to begin building the much anticipated LCS later this fall. The team’s design for the LCS is based on Austal’s innovative 420-foot high-speed aluminum trimaran hullform that enables the ship to reach sustainable speeds of nearly 50 knots, and range as far as 10,000 nautical miles, with an unmatched interior volume and payload for vessels of this size

Aker Chases Shipyard Norway's Aker Yards has reportedly made an offer to buy Poland's Stocznia Gdanska shipyard. Aker spokesperson has not commented on the report. Management at Gdanska, owned by the Stocznia Gdynia yard, are evaluating the offer, according to Arkadiusz Krezel, chairman of the state asset-management agency. He added: "We have no objections to separating Stocznia Gdanska from Stocznia. Gdynia and introducing investors, although I will not name them. "Stocznia Gdynia is conducting the negotiations and it will decide whether or not to accept the offer." Gdynia would sanction the sale if the buyer could guarantee the continuation of hull production. Unions are said to be against the deal. Gdansk employs 3,000 workers and made $5.69 mn in net profits in the first half of 2005.

Aker wins Sub Sea IMR vessel Aker Yards has signed a contract worth approximately $76 million to build a Sub Sea IMR (inspection, maintenance and repair) vessel for Østensjø Rederi AS. The 108.7 m long and 23 m wide vessel will be delivered summer 2007. Main duties for the 6,200 DWT newbuilding, which is an ST 255 design from Skipsteknisk AS, Ålesund, will be inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR), including tasks within ROV operations and light construction work. The vessel will be equipped with two hangars with a totally integrated module handling tower,



skidding systems and Launch & Recovery systems for Work ROV's. All the main operations will take place inside the closed hangars. Østensjø Rederi AS has been assigned a five years contract with 3 x 1 years option by DeepOcean AS and Statoil. This contract confirms that the market for specialized vessels is continuing to develop positively. The last vessel delivered to Østensjø from Aker Yards was in 1997. This vessel is unique by the combination of its size and the fact that the design, the owner and the builder are all Norwegian and that it will be operating for Statoil.

Hyundai Qingdao wins first order Hyundai Qingdao Shipbuilding in Qingdao, China, operated by Hyundai HI, has won its first new order since it became operational in June this year. The newbuilding contract is for two 2,600 DWT general cargo ships from Mirai Shipping in Panama. Scheduled for delivery in October and December next year, will be long-term chartered to Shinsung Shipping. Ship particulars are 80m in length, 14m in breadth and 7m in depth.

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TOTAL VESSEL MANAGEMENT K.P. van der Mandelelaan 34 - 3062 MB Rotterdam (Brainpark) - The Netherlands Telephone : (31) 10 - 453 03 77 Fax : (31) 10 - 453 05 24 E-mail : [email protected] Telex : 24390 wosh nl

AsstrA Launches 4 Lines The group of companies AsstrA launched the 4 new regular lines to deliver LCL (less than container load) cargo from Europe to Russia and Ukraine. Besides, since September 2005 the company opened the regular lines to deliver the small consignments to Ekaterinburg and Kiev by road. Now to the order of the Russian and Ukrainian recepients, the European shipper sends the consignment from 100 kg to 10 tons to the storehouses of AsstrA in Mardeburg (Germany) and Verona (Italy). Then the LCL cargo is to be delivered from the facilities of AsstrA into Russian and Ukrainian markets and then to the customer. The 4 lines are Mardeburg - Ekaterinburg, Verona - Ekaterinburg, Mardeburg - Kiev, Verona - Kiev.



TWO FORMER UK CUSTOM PATROL BOATS LOADED FOR TANZANIA

Top : The NIGUNGURI seen here getting lifted onboard the Annette – Photo : Jan de Bokx ©

Last Friday September 9th 2005 the heavylift carrier ANNETTE (owned by S.A.L. Steinkirchen) loaded two patrol boats and one new pilot cutter in the port of Rotterdam. The two patrol vessels are the former U.K. coastguard vessels "Vincent" and "Vigilant", which have been renamed into "NIGUNGURI" (PB19) and "MAMBA" (PB20) and which are destined for the port of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The pilot cutter is a brandnew Damen Stantender, named "Albina" and will be offloaded in the port of Mombasa, Kenya.

NSC Replenishes Fleet Northern Shipping Co JSC replenished its fleet with the 2 tugboats - "Nord" and "Triton". The company's fleet delivers cargo to the North of Russia where own tugboats are needed. Besides the vessel will allow saving time during the mooring operations in the homeport. When the ships are operational the standstill during the winter navigation is to be reduced.

Moller sells VLCCs? London brokers are reporting AP Moller-Maersk has sold two modern VLCCs for a total $230m, though there appears to be some confusion over the identity of one of the ships.



Sold? AP Moller's 307,000-dwt Elisabeth Maersk (built 1999)AP Moller this week denied the sales but strong rumours are emerging that the company has disposed of the 307,000-dwt Elisabeth Maersk (built 1999) for around $115m. Brokers report the sale of a second ship at the same price, though it is not clear whether it is the 308,000-dwt Else Maersk (built 2000) or the 307,000-dwt Emilie Maersk (built 1999). All three vessels were built at Hyundai. Meanwhile on the bulker side Bocimar was today reported to have offloaded its 2001-built handymax CMB Talent to newly listed Genco. The US-controlled company is reported to have paid $32.75m for the 52,400-dwt vessel.

Novoship Sells Vessel The company board of the Novorossiysk Shipping Company JSC decided to sell the ice-class m/v "Maria Ermolova" on the tender basis. According to the company's press service, the applications are accepted until September 20, 2005. The 1.465 tons long, 90.91 meters wide ship is worth $2 mn. (without VAT).

MOVEMENTS THIS SECTION IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY :

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The gasturbine driven passengerliner CONSTELLATION visited last Sunday the port of Amsterdam

Photo : Joep van Dam ©



A picture from the Stockholm harbour day which was held September 10th.

Moored alongside the Victoria I, Silja Serenade and the Mariella, The ships were open to the public and a lot of people visit these ships. Photo : Micke Asklander ©

The tug HUSKY with the SSCV THIALF is expected tonight (Tuesday evening late) in the offshore put.

AIRCRAFT / AIRPORT NEWS

An KLM Boeing 747-400 seen here just before touching down at the Prinses Juliana Airport at St.Maarten

Photo : via Linda Mauritz ©

Indonesia grounds 4 Boeing 737-200s Indonesian air transport authorities have grounded four Boeing 737-200s belonging to four unnamed private airlines in the wake of a recent fatal crash, local media said yesterday. 'Four Boeing 737-200s owned by four airlines have been declared grounded until all damaged components are repaired,' the Kompas newspaper quoted Transport Minister Hatta Rajasa as saying.



Among the problems discovered was a damaged front landing wheel on one of the aircraft, the daily said. 'With these findings, I have ordered my staff to conduct daily checks on aircraft conditions,' Mr Rajasa said. A Boeing 737-200 of Mandala Airlines, an Indonesian private carrier, plunged into a residential area in the Sumatra island city of Medan after take-off on Sept 5, killing 103 on board and 47 on the ground. Investigators say they have discovered signs of engine problems but that further analysis is needed to determine the reason for the crash. Mr Rajasa also said the government was considering suspending the issuance of permits for 737-200s because of the age of the aircraft type. Mandala's ill-fated Boeing was 31 years old. Indonesia, a sprawling archipelago, relies on air and maritime transport for inter-island travel.

MARINE WEATHER THIS SECTION IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY :

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Today’s wind (+6Bft) and wave (+3m) chart. Created with SPOS, the onboard weather information &

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PHOTO OF THE DAY

The SEAWAYS-5 (former DEYMOS) arrived at the Westerscheldt River to take bunkers, the SEAWAYS-5

will sail to Morocco to collect the dredger VLAANDEREN XIX bound for Doha (Qatar) Photo : Wim Kosten ©

SMITWIJS TOWAGE B.V.

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The Netherlands Telephone: +31 10 412 6969

Telefax:+31 10 436 9587 E-mail: [email protected]



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